Aztec Language Aztec Language Languages similar to the Aztec language have existed in Central Mexico for perhaps 1400 years. As early as 600AD, languages known as Nahuan were spoken by peoples in the area. It is believed that these language speakers came from the north in waves, settling in central Mexico. Speakers of languages such as Nahuatl began to gain power, and by 1000AD (CE) it is likely that Nahuatl speakers were the dominant power. One of the last Nahuatl speaking groups to come to the area was the Mexica, who would become a powerful force in the founding of the Aztec empire. As the empire grew, so did the influence of Nahuatl (also called Classical Nahuatl, Mexicano or Aztec). Naturally, those who wanted to get along with the powers-that-were needed to speak it. It was a language of trade, and a language of prestige. It was used in literature extensively. What was the Aztec language like? You can learn more about the letters of the Aztec language here .

The Nahuatl language is an agglutinant language, which means that words and phrases are put together by combining prefixes, suffixes, and root words, in order to form an idea. For example, in Tetelcingo Nahuatl (a modern dialect), there is an 18-syllable word that means "you honourable people might have come along banging your noses so as to make them bleed, but in fact you didn't". That's right, you can just keep stringing those ideas together! Actually, many forms of Nahuatl are still spoken today. It's likely that there were various dialects during the time of the Aztecs, just as there are today. Some dialects are so different that speakers can't understand one another! Listen to the Nahuatl! You can hear what Nahuatl sounds like today. Here are some MP3s of a form of Nahuatl still spoken in the northern part of the State of Puebla in Mexico. Listen to Norte de Puebla Nahuatl . More on Nahuatl Classical Nahuatl belongs to the Uto-Aztecan family of languages. These are found throughout the Western United States and Mexico today.

Read more about the Aztec language (with a map) here . You can find extensive information about the whole Nahuatl family of languages here . You can even start to learn Nahuatl here ! For more, check out the references below. Nahuatl - the Language of the Aztecs Nahuatl Archaeology Expert By Nicoletta Maestri Náhuatl (pronounced NAH-wah-tuhl) was the language spoken by the Aztec/Mexica , and it is still spoken today by thousands of people, mainly in Central Mexico. Nahuatl's Origins Náhuatl is part of the Uto-Aztecan family, one of the largest Native American linguistic families. The Uto-Aztecan, or Uto-Nahuan, family includes many North American languages such as Comanche, Shoshone, Paiute, as well as Tarahumara, Cora, and Huichol in Mexico. The Nahuatl language probably originated in what is now Southwestern US.

Náhuatl is considered one of the southernmost members of the family and its speakers are believed to have entered Mesoamerica and reached Central Mexico sometimes around AD 400/500, during the Classic period. According to historical and archaeological sources, the Mexica were among the last of the Náhuatl speakers to migrate from the north and reach Central Mexico . Read more about Aztec/Mexica migration and their original homeland, Aztlan . continue reading below our video 10 Best Universities in the United States Náhuatl Distribution under the Aztec/Mexica Empire With the founding of their capital , Mexico-Tenochtitlan, and the growth of the Aztec/Mexica empire in the 15th and 16th centuries, Náhuatl spread all over Mesoamerica. This language became a lingua franca spoken all over the empire by merchants , soldiers and diplomats, over an area including what is today northern Mexico to Costa Rica, and Lower Central America .

Náhuatl in Colonial Times After the conquest, many Spanish friars learned Náhuatl as a way to both access the indigenous sources, and therefore know better their traditional beliefs and histories in order to eradicate them, as well as to translate Catholic religious texts and therefore diffuse Catholicism in the indigenous language. The most extensive source on Náhuatl language is the book written in the mid-16th century, by friar Bernardino de Sahagún called the Historia General de la Nueva España, included in the Florentine Codex. In its 12 books Sahagun and his assistants collected a sort of encyclopedia about the language and culture of the Aztec/Mexica. This text contains parts written both in Spanish and Náhuatl transliterated in latin characters, since Náhuatl used a pictographic writing system. Náhuatl Legacy Náhuatl was a language spoken by thousands of people in Mesoamerica and this culture left the majority of the pre-Hispanic and colonial documents until now survived. Furthermore, many contemporary place namea in Mexico and Central America are the result of a Spanish transliteration of their Náhuatl name (i.e. Mexico, Guatemala).

Finally, many Nahuatl words have passed into the English dictionary through Spanish, such as coyote, chocolate, tomato, chili, cacao, avocado and many others. Sources This glossary entry is a part of the About.com guide to Mesoamerica , and the Dictionary of Archaeology . Dakin, Karen, 2001, Nahuatl, in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Mesoamerican Cultures, vol. 1, edited by David Carrasco, Oxford University Press., pp: 363-365. AA.VV. 2011, Los Nahua. Cultura Viva, Arqueología Mexicana, Vol. 19, Num. 109 (May-June) The Aztec Language | Nahuatl | Aztec Languages Aztec Languages Aztec Language the Classical Nahuatl The Aztecs spoke the classical Nahuatl language at their great city of Tenochtitlan, which is now the heart of central Mexico. The Nahuatl language really only lasted about a century starting in the mid 1300’s until a little over the 1500’s.

To this day the Aztec ancestors still speak Nahuatl with some variation compared to the classical language and it is considered as a dialect in Mexico. Many Spanish words originated or were borrowed from Nahuatl and English words include chilli, chocolate, avocado, and coyote all originated from the Nahuatl language of the Aztec people. During the Aztec empire, the city of Tenochtitlan grew to become the largest city in central America, and with it grew the number of speakers of Nahuatl from various areas which resulted to the transition of the language into many dialects. The Nahuatl language continued to spread throughout Mesoamerica especially after the Spanish conquered new territories, with the Spanish having to learn Nahuatl to establish their colonies. King Philip II of Spain actually decreed it as an official language in 1570, and besides, the friars found it impossible to learn all indigenous languages so they concentrated on just the one, Nahuatl. The Spanish missionaries introduced the Latin alphabet then taught the language as far as the Honduras and El Salvador.

Classical Nahuatl was used as a literary language with works such as poetry, history, and administrative documents written around the 16th and 17th centuries. Literary samples included a compilation of Aztec Culture by Franciscan Bernardino de Sahagun called the Florentine Codex, song collections like Cantares exicanos, Fernando Alvarado Tezozomoc’s list of royal lineage of Tenochtitlan and even a Spanish and Nahuatl dictionary written by Alonso de Molina. By 1969, King Charles II decreed that only the Spanish language could be used, which essentially causing the extinction of the indigenous languages including Nahuatl. Literary works were preserved mainly by written record, through existing books or passed orally through the Aztecs direct descendants. Aztec Writing The language of the ancient Aztecs in one of their codices Aztec language was very complex and was designed to really be spoken and not read, causing issues with translating the language to written form. The system the Aztecs used was through the use of pictures and symbols for their alphabet and vocabulary.

Whole sentences can be expressed with one word, for example, they drew a cat to symbolize a cat, a fish for fish, in essence they basically formed pictures to remind speakers of what they learned verbally. Stories and records that used these pictographs were called codices. This system had various ways to display the language, logo grams were used for words, pictures used as mnemonics and logo grams were used for sound. The writing was done by the Aztec who knew how to read them, which would be the Aztec priests and the scribes. These Aztecs were the ones who wrote about their history, the Aztec world and their religious ceremonies. Typically the priests and scribes wrote with charcoal and used minerals, vegetables, shells and insects for colour, and they often etched in stone too. It was later during the Spanish conquest when the Spaniards introduced the Latin Alphabet that most of the literary works of and about the Aztec society were written. An example of the Aztec pictographs The Aztec Codices The Aztec Codices were essentially long books written on strips of paper, the Aztecs took great pride in them and carefully folded each Codice into a tube with wood covering each end.

The 20 centimetre by 50 meter tree bark or deerskin paper sheets were written on both sides and can be read from top to bottom or from left to right. These codices serve as a basis for most of the study about the Ancient Aztec Empire, and feature a mix of images and Aztec writing. The Codices hold all kinds of information about the Aztec’s history, from religion and rituals to their daily routines and way of living. Aztec languages in summary The ancient Aztec language of Nahuatl still exists in some form in the modern world. However at the height of the Aztec empire, Nahuatl was the primary language in Mesoamerica and was the language that the Spanish were most keen to learn. Aztec language - definition of Aztec language by The Free Dictionary Aztec language - definition of Aztec language by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Thesaurus , Encyclopedia , Wikipedia . Related to Aztec language: Nahuatl Na·hua·tl n. pl. Nahuatl or Na·hua·tls 1. A member of any of various Indian peoples of central Mexico, including the Aztecs. 2.

The Uto-Aztecan language of the Nahuatl. [Spanish náhuatl, from Nahuatl, that which pleases the ear, from nahua-, audible, intelligent, clear.] Nahuatl (ˈnɑːwɑːtəl; nɑːˈwɑːtəl) npl -tl or -tls 1. (Peoples) a member of one of a group of Central American and Mexican Indian peoples including the Aztecs 2. (Languages) the language of these peoples, belonging to the Uto-Aztecan family Former name: Nahuatlan (ˈnɑ wɑt l) n. a Uto-Aztecan language spoken by American Indian peoples of Mexico and Central America, esp. the form of the language used in literature and legal documents of colonial Mexico, written in the Latin alphabet (Classical Nahuatl) .Compare Mexicano.

[1815–25; < Sp náhuatl] The N�huatl Language of the Aztecs "Mexica tiahui amotihuihui amo maca mo maceualtis in tlein tiq elehuia." The N�huatl Language of the Aztecs The Aztecs spoke a language called N�huatl (pronounced NAH waht l). It belongs to a large group of Indian languages which also include the languages spoken by the Comanche, Pima, Shoshone and other tribes of western North America. The Aztec used pictographs to communicate through writing. Some of the pictures symbolized ideas and other represented the sounds of the syllables. N�huatl Home Pages N�huatl List nahuat-l@listserv.umt.edu A discussion list which deals with Aztec studies in general and N�huatl (the Aztec language) in particular. NAHUAT-L is an unmoderated discussion list which will focus on Aztec studies in general and the Aztec language, N�huatl, in particular. Scholars interested in beginning projects will find the list useful in determining if others are already working in a particular field.

The list may also be used to answer questions about N�huatl translations, historical details, and all aspects of Aztec life and culture. Anthropologists, archeologists, linguists, historians, and all interested in the Aztecs, are welcome to participate. The languages of the list will be English and Spanish, although scholars are encouraged to submit pieces in N�huatl. The list will be used as a primary means of publishing the guide to Aztec language manuscripts which was begun in Estudios de Cultura N�huatl. The owner hopes to develop a FTP directory where N�huatl language texts can be stored for public use. To subscribe to NAHUAT-L: Internet users, send email to listproc@listserv.umt.edu The sole content of the message must be: SUBSCRIBE NAHUAT-L [your first name] [your last name] To post a message to the list members, address it to: nahuat-l@listserv.umt.edu To cancel your subscription, send e-mail to: listproc@listserv.umt.edu Questions and requests for information should be sent to the List Owner/Manager. List Owner/Manager: John F.

Schwaller (schwallr@selway.umt.edu) Associate Provost, University of Montana Tel: 406-243-4722 N�huatl Bibliography Indians Misc.

A Pack of Wolves - American Buffalo - American Indian Names - Bear Hunting - Braided Hairstyles - Brown Bear - Buffalo Meat - Canoes - Canoe Building - Chief Crazy Horse - Chief Joseph - Chief Pontiac - Chief Seattle - Corn - Corn Bread - Coyote Facts - Coyote Fur - Crazy Horse - Crazy Horse Monument - Dances with Wolves - Drum Beats - Feathers - Fur Traders - Grizzly Bear - Horse Breeding - Horse Tattoo - How to Braid Hair - Indian Chief - Indian Fashion - Indian Feathers - Indian Food - Indian Food Recipes - Indian Grants - Indians Home - Indian Music - Indian Recipes - Indian Reservations - Indian Reservations 2 - Indian Songs - Indian Tattoos - Indian Women - Indigenous Peoples' Literature - Iroquois Longhouse - Longhouses - Palomino Horses - Planting Zones - Powwow - Timber Wolves - Tribal Dance - Tribal Music - Tribal Tattoos - Tribal Tattoo Designs - Rain Dance - Smoke Signals - Spear Fishing - Spirit Bear - Squaw - Thanksgiving - Welker's Bookmarks - White Buffalo - Wild Horses - Wild Wolves Indian Products American Indian Art - American Indian Jewelry - American Indian Pottery - Arrowheads - Baby Papoose - Beads - Bead Bracelet - Be

ad Jewelry - Bead Necklace - Bead Supplies - Black Hills Gold Jewelry - Bone Beads - Bow and Arrows - Braids - Braided Rugs - Buffalo Jerky - Buffalo Steak - Handmade Moccasins - Horse Blankets - Indian Art - Indian Artifacts - Indian Bridal Wear - Indian Clothes - Indian Dresses - Indian Drums - Indian Flag - Indian Flute - Indian Headdress - Indian Headress - Indian Jewelry - Indian Jewelry 2 - Indian Masks - Indian Motorcycles - Indian Movies - Indian Rugs - Indian Tepee - Indian Weapons - Indian Wedding Dresses - Native Flutes - Navajo Jewelry - Sterling Silver Jewelry - Teepees - Throwing Knives - Totem Poles - Tribal Decals - Turquoise - Turquoise Jewelry Indian Tribes Welcome to the Aztec Language HOT TIP Online Náhuatl magazine Students and staff linked to IDIEZ in Zacatecas have set up (2015) an exciting new resource online...

See the magazine! Aztec Language According to Alejandro de Avila (Flora: The Aztec Herbal), the Mexican government today recognises 30 ‘linguistic variants’ of the ‘Aztec’ language Náhuatl, each of which has to be considered as a distinct language for administrative and educational purposes. Náhuatl is currently spoken by between 1 and 2 million Mexican people, in several states of the country, and is Mexico’s second language after Spanish. Our first offering is ‘Aztec Voices Across the Centuries’, kindly shared with us by Frances Karttunen, a world expert on Náhuatl: Professor Karttunen gave this as an address at a press conference in March 2005 for the premiere of La Conquista, a pioneering modern opera about the Conquest of Mexico, composed and written by Italian composer Lorenzo Ferrero* with extensive help from Professor Kartunnen, and commissioned for the Prague National Opera.

Professor Ferrero’s concept was for the Spaniards to sing in 16th-century Spanish, the Aztecs to sing in Classical Náhuatl, and the character of Doña Marina, the Nahua interpreter for Cortés, to interpret to the opera’s audience what was going on. Moreover, he allowed the contrasting rhythms of the two languages (Spanish/Náhuatl) to ‘drive’ the opera’s music in very different directions... * Note that we have links to two atmospheric Youtube music videos by Lorenzo Ferrero in our Spanish Conquest section (in ‘The Road Cortés followed to reach Tenochtitlan’). NOTE 1: For useful extra links to online resources on Náhuatl, both Classical and modern, click on ‘Introductory Náhuatl Guide’ (right). NOTE 2: For help in translating individual words or phrases into Náhuatl, see the growing section in ‘Aztec Sayings’ (right). This service has been developed with the help of the IDIEZ team in Zacatecas, Mexico (link in our Aztec Links pages). Traditions of Mexico - Indigenous Languages TRADITIONS OF MEXICO ARE YOU RELATED TO THE AZTECS?

Uto-Aztecan Languages Spoken Throughout Mexico and the Western United States By John P. Schmal For five centuries, North Americans have been fascinated and intrigued by stories of the magnificent Aztec Empire. This extensive Mesoamerican Empire was in its ascendancy during the late Fifteenth and early Sixteenth Centuries. The Aztec Empire of 1519 was the most powerful Mesoamerican kingdom of all time. This multi-ethnic, multi-lingual realm stretched for more than 80,000 square miles through many parts of what are now central and southern Mexico. This enormous empire reached from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf coast and from central Mexico to the present-day Republic of Guatemala. Fifteen million people, living in thirty-eight provinces and residing in 489 communities, paid tribute to the Emperor Moctezuma II. MORE RESOURCES Mexican Traditions However, by the time that Hernán Cortés and his band of Spanish mercenaries arrived on the Gulf Coast of Veracruz in 1519, omens of impending doom had begun to haunt Emperor Moctezuma II and his advisors in their capital city, Tenochtitlán.

With an incredible coalition of indigenous forces, Cortés and his lieutenants were able to bring about the fall of one of the greatest indigenous American empires in only two years. The Empire that the Aztecs amassed makes them unique among Amerindian peoples. But, in at least one respect, they are far from unique. The Aztecs and other Náhuatl-speaking indigenous peoples of Mexico all belong to the Uto-Aztecan Linguistic Group. Spoken in many regions of the western U.S. and Mexico, the Uto-Aztecan languages include a wide range of languages, stretching from Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming all the way down to El Salvador in Central America. And the Aztecs represent only a small - but significant - part of this linguistic group. While the Aztecs of the Sixteenth Century lived in the south central part of the present-day Mexican Republic, a wide scattering of peoples who presently live in the United States could probably be described as "distant cousins" to the Aztecs. If you belong to the Shoshone, Ute, Paiute, or Gabrielino Indians, you may very well share common roots with the famous Aztecs of central Mexico.

How is it that we can conclude that these relationships exist? Studies in historical linguistics have analyzed the Uto-Aztecan tongues - and the Náhuatl language in particular - have determined that Náhuatl was actually not native to central Mexico. Instead, it was carried south from lands that are believed to have been in the northwestern region of the present-day Mexican Republic and - before that - the United States. Most of us have already heard the story of Aztlán and the Aztec journey from that mythical homeland to central Mexico. Legend states that the Aztec and other Náhuatl-speaking tribal groups originally came to the Valley of Mexico from a region in the northwest, popularly known as Atzlan-Chicomoztoc. The name Aztec, in fact, is said to have been derived from this ancestral homeland, Aztlan (The Place of Herons). According to legend, the land of Aztlan was said to have been a marshy island situated in the middle of a lake. For nearly five centuries, popular imagination has speculated about the location of the legendary Aztlan. Some people refer to Aztlan as a concept, not an actual place that ever existed.

However, many historians believe that Aztlan did indeed exist. The historian Paul Kirchhoff suggested that Aztlan lay along a tributary of the Lerna River, to the west of the Valley of Mexico. Other experts have suggested the Aztlan might be the island of Janitzio in the center of Lake Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, with its physical correspondence to the description of Aztlan. Many anthropologists have speculated that the ancestral home of the Aztecs lay in California, New Mexico or in the Mexican states of Sonora and Sinaloa. The idea that Sinaloa, Sonora, California, and New Mexico might be the site of Aztlan is a very plausible explanation when historical linguistics are considered. "The north-to-south movement of the Aztlan groups is supported by research in historical linguistics," writes the anthropologist, Professor Michael Smith of the University of New York, in The Aztecs, "The Náhuatl language, classified in the Nahuan group of the Uto-Aztecan family of languages, is unrelated to most Mesoamerican native languages." As a matter of fact, "Náhuatl was a relatively recent intrusion" into central Mexico.

On the other hand, if one observes the locations of the indigenous people who spoke the Uto-Aztecan languages, all of their lands lay to the northwest of the Valley of Mexico. The northern Uto-Aztecans occupied a large section of the American Southwest. Among them were the Hopi and Zuni Indians of New Mexico and the Gabrielino Indians of the Los Angeles Basin. The Central Uto-Aztecans - occupying large parts of Chihuahua, Sinaloa and Sonora in northwestern Mexico - included the Papago, Opata, Yaqui, Mayo, Concho, Huichol and Tepehuán. It is reasonable to assume that where there is a linguistic relationship there is most likely also a genetic relationship. Thus, it is very possible that the legendary Aztlan � or another ancestral home of the Aztecs - was located in the Southwestern United States. It is important to note, however, that the Aztlan migrations were not one simple movement of a single group of people.

Instead, as Professor Smith has noted, "when all of the native histories are compared, no fewer than seventeen ethnic groups are listed among the original tribes migrating from Aztlan and Chicomoztoc." It is believed that the migrations southward probably took place over several generations. "Led by priests," continues Professor Smith, "the migrants... stopped periodically to build houses and temples, to gather and cultivate food, and to carry out rituals." The migrating groups included many Náhuatl-speaking peoples who became associated with the Aztec Empire: the Acolhua, Tepaneca, Culhua, Xochimilca, Tlahuica, Matlatzinca, and the Tlaxcalans - all of whom settled in the Valley of Mexico or adjacent valleys that are now in the surrounding states of Morelos, Tlaxcala, and Puebla. SIL International (formerly known as the Summer Institute of Linguistics) states that there are sixty-two existing Uto-Aztecan languages spread throughout the U.S., Mexico, and Central America.

For a chart of this linguistic group, please see SIL's "Language Family Trees: Uto-Aztecan" at the following link: The Northern Uto-Aztecans, inhabiting several American states, speak thirteen of the sixty-two languages. But the Southern Uto-Aztecans - almost all of whom make their homes south of the present-day U.S.-Mexican border - speak 49 languages. The Northern Uto-Aztecans are best known as the "Great Basin peoples," and the majority of them belong to the Numic subdivision of the Uto-Aztecan family of languages. The Numic Division is divided into several branches. The Western Numic consists primarily of the Northern Paiute, who inhabit Oregon, California, and Nevada. The Southern Numic Division includes the Southern Paiute and Ute Indians. The Southern Paiute originally inhabited southern Utah, southern Nevada and northern Arizona. The Ute tribe once lived over much of Utah - which was named after them - and all of western Colorado. It is believed that they even stretched into Nebraska and New Mexico. The Central Numic family is made up of the Panamint, Shoshone, and Comanche tribes.

The Shoshone Indian people traditionally lived on lands in the east-central area of California to the east of the Sierra Nevada range, including Owens Valley and the lands south of it, which includes Death Valley. The Shoshone language is very closely related to the Paiute language, and some Shoshone tribes today live as far north as Idaho and Montana, representing the northernmost stretches of the Uto-Aztecans. The Numic Family also includes a great many California tribes: the Serrano, Cupan, Luiseno, Cahuilla, Cupeno, Kiowa and Gabrielino, among others. It is noteworthy that one of these tribes - the Gabrielino Indians, who were given their name by the Spaniards because they occupied the lands near the San Gabriel Mission - are the primary indigenous group that occupied the Los Angeles Basin. Because they speak a Uto-Aztecan language, they can be considered relatives to the Aztecs. The Southern Uto-Aztecans have a very large representation spread over a large area. An important branch of the Uto-Aztecans is the Sonoran Family of Languages, mainly spoken by indigenous peoples of Sonora, Sinaloa, Chihuahua, Durango, and Arizona.

This group is represented by several tribal groups that are well-known to most Americans. The Corachol Family is represented in the present day era by the Cora and Huichol Indians of Nayarit and Jalisco. Another Sonora subdivision is the Tepiman Family (spoken by the Papago, Pima Bajo, and Tepehuán of Sonora, Chihuahua and Durango). And the most well-known Sonoran division is the Taracahitic Family (spoken by the Mayo, Yaqui and Tarahumara of northwestern Mexico). As you might expect, a family is a group of languages that are genetically and culturally related to one another. When the Spaniards arrived in Sinaloa in 1523, a large number of Taracahitic peoples inhabited the coastal area of northwestern Mexico along the lower courses of the Sinaloa, Fuerte, Mayo, and Yaqui Rivers. The Yaqui Indians of Sonora are the best known tribe of this family. Numbering 16,000 people living in scattered locations throughout Sonora, the Yaquis continued to resist the Spanish Empire and the Mexican Republic well into the Twentieth Century.

The Mayo Indians, closely related to the Yaquis, continued to resist central authority well into the Nineteenth Century and today number some 40,000 citizens, inhabiting the border regions of northern Sinaloa and southern Sonora. The Aztecan or Náhuatl-speaking peoples of central and southern Mexico speak almost thirty languages and are the single largest linguistic group in Mexico. In the 2000 census, 1,448,936 individuals five years of age and older were classified as N�huatl-speakers, representing 24% of the total indigenous-speaking population. Many dialects of N�huatl are spoken throughout Mexico and all are believed to be derived from a common source, perhaps thousands of years into the past. A listing of Náhuatl dialects and their locations within the Mexican Republic can be accessed at: . Through time, all cultures and languages evolve. Sooner or later, a homogenous cultural group, responding to environmental and social pressures, will experience a cultural divergence of its component parts. As some members of an ethnic group begin to move away from the core group, their cultural and linguistic identity will change and undergo a transformation into a new cultural group.

The dialects spoken by similar peoples - once they have been isolated from one another for a period of time - undergo a cultural diffusion until, eventually, the resulting groups reach a point where they speak mutually unintelligible languages. For example, at some point in the distant past - probably a few thousand years ago - the ancestors of the Aztecs and the Yaquis were one and the same people, speaking a single language and practicing a single culture. However, in 1519, as Hernán Cortés sailed along the eastern seaboard with his small fleet, the Yaquis and Aztecs were two separate ethnic groups. They now spoke separate languages, practiced religions unknown to each other, and lived 1,300 kilometers away from each other. When two ethnic groups belong to the same linguistic grouping, we infer that they are in some way related. So, the big question is "How and when did the Aztecs diverge from the Great Basin Indians and from the Yaquis and Mayos of Sonora?" Although studies have been done in attempt to determine the chronology of Uto-Aztecan cultural divergence, most of the experts do not agree on the numbers.

In the 1930s, the linguist Dr. Robert Mowry Zinng wrote that the Shoshone Indians of the present day Southwestern U.S.A. probably represent the closest thing we will ever find to the first Uto-Aztecans - the proto Uto-Aztecan culture - because they had not migrated as far as other Uto-Aztecan cultures, such as the Yaquis, Mayos, and Aztecs who are now far-removed from their probable ancestral homeland in the Great Basin of the United States. Other authors have agreed with this analysis, stating that ultimately the roots of all Uto-Aztecan cultures will be found in the north. However, some theories have suggested that Southern California was the original home of the first Uto-Aztecans and that the Paiute and Shoshone diverged from the main group by migrating eastward into the Great Basin. Some anthropologists suggest that Great Basin Prehistory may extend back more than 11,000 years before the present day. As the climate changed after this, the Great Basin witnessed the disappearance of many of its lakes. This caused many animal species to disappear, which led to reduced food resources.

For this reason, the Great Basin inhabitants � the so-called proto Uto-Aztecans - evolved into a hunting and gathering semi-nomadic people who were able to deal with the diminishing resources of the region. Half a century ago, both Sydney M. Lamb and Morris Swadesh hypothesized that about fifty centuries ago (circa 3000 B.C.), the Proto-Uto-Aztecan culture was becoming "dialectically differentiated, perhaps somewhere around the Arizona-Sonora border." Utilizing the linguistic term "minimum centuries ago" as a tool for measuring divergence, Lamb stated that the Numic and Aztec languages probably diverged 47 minimum centuries ago (circa 2700 B.C.). Once the Northern and Southern Uto-Aztecan Groups diverged, the ancestors of the present-day Aztecs, Yaquis and Mayos apparently made their way into the territory of the present-day Mexican Republic. Dr. Lamb hypothesized that the Cahita (Mayo and Yaqui) ancestral language diverged from the Aztec ancestral language 27 minimum centuries ago (circa 700 B.C.). However, the late Wick R.

Miller concluded that glottochronological estimates placed the divergence of the Aztecan linguistic group from the Sonoran at before 4500 B.C. (much earlier than Lamb's theory). It is important to recognize, however, that many linguists do not agree on the validity and accuracy of glottochronology and lexicostatistics in determining linguistic diffusion. In the final analysis, however, nearly all experts agree that the Uto-Aztecan trunk is a widespread language grouping, boasting a tremendous diversity of language families spread over a large area. Studying and understanding who speak these languages and where they live provides us for clues in determining who may be related to the Aztecs. Copyright � 2003, by John P. Schmal. Read more articles by John Schmal . Sources: Kenneth Hale, "Internal Diversity in Uto-Aztecan: I." International Journal of American Linguistics, Vol. 24 (1958), pp. 101-107. Kenneth Hale, "Internal Diversity in Uto-Aztecan: II." International Journal of American Linguistics, Vol. 25 (1959), pp. 114-121. A.

L. Koreber, "Uto-Aztecan Languages of Mexico." Ibero-Americana: 8 (University of California, Berkeley, 1934). Sydney M. Lamb, "Linguistic Prehistory in the Great Basin." International Journal of American Linguistics, Vol. 24 (1958), No. 2, pp. 95-100. Wick R. Miller, "Uto-Aztecan languages," in Handbook of North American Indians, vol. 10, Southwest. Edited by A. Ortiz, pp. 13-24. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press (1983). Michael E. Smith, The Aztecs. Cambridge, Mass.: Blackwell Publishers, Inc., 1996. Susan Spitler, "Homelands: Aztlan and Aztlán," Online: ~anthro/other/humos/sample.htm ;. November 20, 2001. Earl H.

Swanson, Jr., "Utaztekan Prehistory" � Occasional Papers of the Idaho State University Museum, Number 22 (Pocatello, Idaho, 1968). Robert Mowry Zingg, "A Reconstruction of Uto-Aztekan History," � University of Denver Contributions to Ethnography: II (New York City: G.E. Stechert and Company, 1939). John Schmal is an historian, genealogist, and lecturer. With his friend Donna Morales, he recently coauthored "Mexican-American Genealogical Research: Following the Paper Trail to Mexico" (Heritage Books, 2002). He has degrees in History (Loyola-Marymount University) and Geography (St. Cloud State University) and is a board member of the Society of Hispanic Historical Ancestral Research (SHHAR). He is an associate editor of SHHAR's online monthly newsletter, .

John is presently collaborating with Eddie Martinez -- a graphics illustrator -- on a manuscript entitled "Indigenous Mexico: Past and Present." 12 Words English Got from the Aztecs | Mental Floss 12 Words English Got from the Aztecs ThinkStock Like us on Facebook Planning a barbeque this weekend? You can thank the Aztecs for some of the items on your list. A typical Aztec meal from 1519, when Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés arrived in Mexico, would look familiar to lovers of Mexican food today: corn tortillas wrapped around beans, chili, avocado, and tomatoes. In fact, the names of several of these familiar foods come to us from Nahautl, the language of the Aztecs. But cuisine is not the only source of English words with an Aztec background. 1. Chia “Ch-ch-ch-chia, the pottery that grows!” Remember the Chia Pet ? Sorry for reminding you. Chia may be the most annoying word English got from the Aztecs. Chia, the green “fur” that grows out of the pottery animals, is an annual plant native to Mexico, Salvia hispanica.

According to Wikipedia , the word comes from the Nahuatl chian, meaning oily . The present Mexican state of Chiapas received its name from the Nahuatl "chia water" or "chia river." 2. Coyote The name of this wolf-like wild dog native to North America (and now a colloquial term for a smuggler of immigrants) entered English in the 18th century, from Mexican Spanish, from Nahuatl coyotl: "Saw a cayjotte, or wild dog, which in size nearly approached the wolf." — William Bullock, Six months' residence and travels in Mexico, 1824. 3. Mesquite Have some mesquite charcoal ready for your Memorial Day barbeque? The name for this spiny tree or shrub of the pea family, native to arid regions of the southwestern U.S.

and Mexico, entered English in the mid 18th century from Mexican Spanish mezquite, from Nahautl mizquitl: Another tree which they call a Miskito: it beareth a fruite like vnto a peasecod marueilous sweete, which the wilde people gather and keepe it all the yeere, and eate it in steede of bread. — Richard Hakluyt · The principall navigations, voiages and discoveries of the English nation · 1st edition, 1589 4. Ocelot A wild cat, Felis pardalis, having a tawny coat marked with numerous black rings, spots and streaks, and found in forests and scrub from southern Texas to Argentina. The word comes, via French, from Nahuatl tlatlocelotl, literally "field jaguar." 5. Peyote The cactus Lophophora williamsii, or a hallucinogenic drug made from it, containing mescaline and used especially in some North American Indian rituals. Origin: via Spanish peyote, from Nahuatl peyotl.

From The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, published in 1913: We endeavoured further to extend knowledge of pathological mental states by producing mental conditions nearly allied to generally recognized types of insanity... For this purpose we used the Mexican drug [printed drag] pelotte. 6. Shack Although this word for a roughly-built cabin or shanty sounds as if it could have come from Old English, the earliest citation for it in the Oxford English Dictionary is dated 1878. In 1881, the New York Times was still putting quotation marks around the word, indicating it was slang or unfamiliar. The origin is obscure, but it may come from the Mexican Spanish word jacal, from Aztec xacalli, meaning "wooden hut." 7. Tule Californians, especially those from the Central Valley, are familiar with tule (pronounced TOO-lee) fog, the thick ground fog that makes driving through the Valley a risky proposition in late fall to winter. Some Californians use the expression “Out in the tules” to mean the boondocks or the sticks.

Fewer people know that tule refers to either of two species of bulrush abundant in low lands along riversides in California and hence, a thicket of this, or a flat tract of land in which it grows. The origin is the Nahuatl word tullin. 8. Tomato From French, Spanish, or Portuguese tomate, from Nahuatl tomatl. There was also Indian pepper, beetes, Tomates, which is a great sappy and savourie graine. — José de Acosta · The naturall and morall historie of the East and West Indies (transl. Edward Grimeston) · 1st edition, 1604 9. Avocado This word entered English in the mid 17th century, from Nahuatl ahuactl, by way of Spanish aguacate. Because of their shape and bumpy green skin, some people call avocados “alligator pears,” but for the Aztecs, the bulging fruit brought something else to mind.

According to Merriam-Webster.com , ahuacatl is short for āhuacacuahuitl, which means "testicle tree" (āhuacatl, "testicle" + cuahuitl, "tree"). 10. Chili This word for hot peppers came into English around 1660 from Spanish chile, which comes from Nahautl chilli. "Try a chili with it, Miss Sharp," said Joseph, really interested. "A chili," said Rebecca, gasping. "Oh yes!" She thought a chili was something cool, as its name imported. – Thackeray, Vanity Fair, 1848 11. Guacamole A dish of mashed avocado mixed with chopped onion, tomatoes, chili peppers, and seasoning. Origin: Latin American Spanish, from Nahuatl ahuacamolli, from ahuacatl, ‘avocado’ + molli, ‘sauce.’ 12.

Chocolate "From time to time they brought [the emperor Montezuma], in cup-shaped vessels of pure gold, a certain drink made from cacao, and the women served this drink to him with great reverence.” — Bernal Diaz del Castillo, The Discovery and Conquest of Mexico. The treasure rooms of Montezuma’s palace were filled not with gold, but with cacao beans, the source of chocolate. Unlike today’s bonbons, Aztec chocolatl was a bitter, hot and spicy drink made with ground corn, vanilla, and chilis. Along with golden treasure, the Spanish brought chocolate back to Europe. And the rest is delicious history. Sources: “Salvia hispanica, Wikipedia ; “Chocolate,” Oxford Bibliographies ; OED [Oxford English Dictionary] Online; New Oxford American Dictionary (Second Ed.); The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (Fifth ed.); Merriam-Webster.com ; Real Academia Española, Diccionario de la Lengua Española ; Wood, Tim, The Aztecs. Welcome to the Aztec Civilization Website Aztec Language The Aztec language was called N'ahuatl. The Aztecs used pictures which they used as an alphabet.

They had hundreds of symbols to use in their writing. Nouns were easy to draw - they drew a cat as a cat and drew a fish as a fish and so on. The nouns were joined together to make sentences. They used the symbols to write down stories and keep records. Words that joined the nouns into sentences were very hard to draw. Writing was an art which was specialized and difficult to learn. Scribes learned a lot of extra information that wasn't recorded because the pictograms were only a clue to the full meaning of the written records. Aztec picture writing was usually conducted by priest or scribes. No one else could read the pictures. The Aztecs wrote about history, religious ceremonies and wrote poetry. The scribes first outlined with charcoal, Then the pictures were painted with vegetables, minerals, insects and shells which accounted for the bright colors. Aztecs books were called Codices. The books were composed of long strips of paper that folded like an accordian. There was a piece of wood at each end that created a cover. They wrote on both sides of the paper and was read top to bottom or left to right. They were usually 20 centimeters wide and 50 meters long.

They were made from deerskin or tree bark.

Question: What was the name of the language spoken by the Aztecs?
Answer: NAHUATL